Cabbage Au Gratin

This is a tasty way to use up lots of cabbage if you're getting an influx of them in the garden.  It makes a great side dish or vegetarian entre.  You'll be so caught up in eating this comfort food casserole that you won't even notice that you're getting a big healthy dose of cabbage for dinner.  It's also great because cabbage is almost always in season.  Mix it up by using your favorite cheese or favorite herbs, and enjoy.

Recipe:

-1 1/4 c shredded cheddar

-1 small head cabbage or 1/2 a large head

-3/4 c broth (vegetable is what I used, but use whatever you have around)

-1/2 c cornmeal

-2 Tbsp thyme

-1 Tbsp dill

-2 Tbsp dijon mustard

-salt and pepper

->Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Toss 1 c of cheese with remaining ingredients.  Pour into an 8x8 inch pan, and bake covered for 45 minutes.  Uncover, add remaining 1/4 c cheese, and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly.  

~*TIP:  I try to keep vegetable broth on hand in the freezer at all times.  I just save up any vegetable pairings, especially garlic and onion peels, parsley stems, and celery ends, keeping them in a container in the freezer.  Avoid pepper pairings as they will make your broth bitter, and note that beet pairings will make your broth purple.  Whenever my container fills up, I empty it into a sauce pot, cover with water, and bring it to a boil.  Then I reduce the heat and simmer until it reduces down to a nice golden color and the veggies are all a mush, about 30-40 minutes.  Strain.  Let cool, and then store in containers in the freezer for future use!  *~